


Fortnight

by PurplePetal



Series: Kismat Se Tum Humko Mile Ho [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Captain Michael Matthews, Explorers!AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 16:26:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11948103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurplePetal/pseuds/PurplePetal
Summary: Kara Danvers and Captain Michael Matthews friendship slowly grows while Michael is stationed in Pennsylvania. Their growing bond, constant teasing of marriage, and unlikely circumstances slowly shifts the dynamic of their relationship. But with only a fortnight of time together, their hidden feelings never blossom and they are forced to part again. Only time can tell the rest of their tale…Companion Piece to Across Time. Takes place in between Chapter 2 and 3.





	Fortnight

**Author's Note:**

> This is a companion piece to Across Time, it takes places between Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, so reading Across Time up to Chapter 2 is must to understand this chapter.
> 
> This was written in like a week, so if it isn't up to par, im sorry. as always, i am so nervous when posting stories, and i am really nervous about this one.  
> So i really hope you guys like it.  
> Also S/O to Prita who wanted another fic with Captain Michael Matthews!

* * *

 

The sun rays slowly seeped through her window and danced across her face. Normally on Krypton, Kara would be annoyed at being awaken by the red sun rays, but on Earth – they rays rejuvenated her, and coursed her body with her fresh energy. As soon as the sun peeked out, Kara was awake and ready to take on the day. But today was different, she had more motivation than the sun to get out of bed. Today was the first day she would spend time with Mon-El. A whole entire day. Her heart fluttered at that thought, and her body was quaking with excitement.

Kara jumped out of her bed and tried to calm down her enthusiasm. What if he didn’t show? What if last night was a onetime occurrence and she bored him out of his mind and he didn’t want to spend more time with her? All she had done last night was talk, and talk while he listened. Although, that is what he asked her to do, but what if she talked a little too much, what if she said the wrong thing and had chased him away. Kara tried to expel those negative thoughts as she readied herself for the day.

“Eliza I am going to the market,” Kara yelled as walked down the staircase as she made her way to the entrance door.

“Kara dear, we have company this morning, why not break fast with us?” Eliza scurried to the foyer were Kara was currently trying to wear her boots.

“It’s okay Eliza, I will buy an apple at the market,” she finally tugged on her left boot, and went to open the door.

“Kara dear, he came all the way here to see you.”

Kara froze. Her hand idle on the doorknob. He came all the way here to see you. _He_ came all the way here to see you. There could only be one he, right? Who else would be here to see her, who else would be up at the crack of dawn, and would decide to break fast with the Danvers? Surely not the Lanes, or anyone else in town, especially not one single person – _a he_.

“Kara I would be honored if you would break fast with us,” a calm, velvet voice rang in her ears, and it confirmed her thinking. He was already here.

Kara willed her nerves to settle down. Her stomach was bursting with butterflies, fluttering around and preventing her nerves from truly calming down. The smile his voice brought on was numbing her cheeks, but she couldn’t help it.

He was already here. He wanted to spend time with her. Granted, they both had promised to spend the remainder of his stay with each other yesterday, Kara was worried that it was just a fleeting promise that Mon-El wouldn’t fulfill. It was rather foolish for her to believe that he wasn’t going to honor his promise, but perhaps Kara wanted to keep her expectations low, so if he did, albeit extremely unlikely, didn’t want to spend time with her, she would be less heart-broken. But since he had surpassed her expectation, her immense happiness couldn’t be contain. The evidence was in the doorknob that she was holding that was slowly cracking under her strength.

Kara had to remind herself to calm down.

She turned around, the wide smile still numbing her face, and there was a slight bounce in her footsteps as she shuffled around.

But looking at the scene before, her smile began to falter a little. Eliza was beaming a wider smile than she had, and when Kara met her gaze, Eliza winked at her, and stifled a giggle.

Kara groaned. Rao, not this again.

“He came all this way to see you Kara. Bright and early he knocked on our door. Mind you, Jeremiah and I had half-a mind to send him away,” Eliza leaned in a little, “It would be considered improper to the neighbors. But then, you and him got along so well last night, that Jeremiah and I made an exception. I mean, if this is gonna become a common occurrence, I don’t mind. The bells are gonna ring soon my dear.”

Eliza giggled and turned to return back towards the dining room, and Kara followed her to see a laughing Jeremiah sitting at the head of the table. Clearly, the two of them were getting immense joy at teasing her.

Kara shrugged off her discomfort as she refocused her attention on the person she was desiring to see the most.

He was smirking. Of course.

Kara was mortified by Eliza’s insinuation, but Mon-El was just smirking. Why was she so surprised, this was exactly what happened at the Mayor’s gala last night.

“Hi,” he breathed out quietly. A sincere smile replaced the smirk.

“Hi,” she replied, her voice barely above a murmur.

The twinkle in his eyes, and gleam on his face unleashed the caged butterflies in her stomach once again. This was going to be an amazing day, and a glorious fortnight.

He bent down, and picked up her idle hand by her sides, and placed a chaste kiss on it. Last night, the kiss had shocked Kara, but now the kiss was comforting. Endearing. She appreciated the sincere gesture.

“Come on,” Kara giggled when he lingered a second too long to be considered appropriate and bumped his shoulder, without restraint, as she walked passed him.

He absorbed her bump, and didn’t wince in pain, and simply nudged her in return. The freedom she felt of having no restraints was liberating.

Jeremiah and Eliza were patiently waiting for them at the dining table, the breakfast spread already laid out. A loaf of bread, some fresh milk (courtesy of the Lane’s), some squeezed orange juice, tea, boiled eggs, and a plate of sliced meats and cheeses. The rations in the town were low due to the extra soldiers that needed to be fed, and the shift from the loyalists food supply to the continental army’s food supply.

Mon-El pulled an empty seat out for her, and Kara gracefully took her spot while suppressing her giggles at the ridiculous chauvinistic ways of this time.

Mon-El settled in the seat opposite of Jeremiah, and they quickly said grace before Eliza started to serve the food.

Jeremiah cleared his throat, “Captain Mic—.”

“Please, sir. Michael is just fine,” Mon-El interjected.

“Right. Right. Michael,” Jeremiah raised his voice trying to ooze authority, but the man was too jovial to look or even sound menacing, “How did you find yourself in the Continental Army?”

“Yes, I am very intrigued to hear this tale…Michael?” Kara plopped an orange slice in her mouth and grinned. She hadn’t heard a peep from Mon-El about how he joined, and she was dying to know how he landed a high-ranking position in the army.

“Well…um,” Mon-El struggled a bit trying to rack through his thoughts to find the best cover story for his life. The men in the army hardly ever asked these personal questions. In the Intelligence Branch, the less they knew about their colleagues, less leverage the enemies would have if they were caught and captured.

“When the war broke out, I was in New York. And it was hard to watch the people on the streets suffer. The system was already corrupt and favored the wealthy. And watching the children on the streets beg for food was never a warming sight, but with the war, the rations were re-routed and more money was spent on guns and ammunitions rather than food and necessities. And no one cared. At all. As soon as I left the city, I joined the army. To make a difference. The King is gonna help these people across a long sea, but these revolutionaries might. So I joined to make a difference. Turned out I was quiet, and I blended in well with the crowd, so I became an intelligence officer…and ummm…That’s my story.”

Kara considered how much of the story was true or not, but it didn’t matter…he did what he did to survive, just like she was doing. And lying to survive was part of the deal, and she couldn’t judge him on his lies without judging herself.

“Mhmmm. Very noble,” Jeremiah grunted out, trying once again to be menacing, and failing completely.

“So...How long are you in town, Michael,” Eliza steered the conversation to a different direction.

“Fortnight,” Kara and Mon-El said at the same time. Shocked at their synchronicity, and embarrassed that she had answered the question, Kara blushed.

“Really,” Eliza gave a pointed look at Kara at how she knew the answer, “And what are you planning to do with this time?”

“Exploring the town, taking in the scenery before I am re-stationed again. And I was hoping that Kara would show me around?”

Silence fell over the table. Eliza bouncing in her seat, and Jeremiah trying to keep his grin hidden.

“If I have your permission, Mr. Danvers?” Mon-El added, taking the silence to mean hostility.

“Granted.”

Kara left out a breath of air that she didn’t know she was holding, and beamed a smile at Mon-El. Permission granted!

“If you are going to spending day after day with her, son, your motives better be pure,” Kara choked on that fresh breath of air she took. She relaxed too early.

“Of course, sir. Mr. Danvers, sir. I would never,” Mon-El stuttered.

“Don’t need to be worried, if your intentions are pure,” Jeremiah narrowed his eyes, “Do you understand what pure intentions are?”

“Yes…sir,” Mon-El continued to stutter.

“What are pure intentions?”

“To be honorable…?”

“How?”

“By being noble?”

“Son…,” Jeremiah was frustrated by this circular conversation, “By waiting till after marriage.”

This time Mon-El and Kara both choked. Kara couldn’t find air to fill her lungs, she was petrified and mortified. All thoughts left her as her father had made this bold accusation, and she wouldn’t be able to look Mon-El in the eye after this debacle.

“Father,” Kara bemoaned.

“He needs to know Kara. After marriage,” he repeated solemnly and Mon-El swiftly nodded his head in agreement, “After marriage,” he gulped.

“She is very precious to us, and no harm will come to her and her reputation –.”

“Father—“

“She means the world to me and Eliza,” he reached out and grasped Eliza’s free hand, “We are so lucky that she came into our lives –“

“Father –,” Kara’s anger continued to grow as her embarrassment increased. This entire conversation was unnecessary, but Jeremiah refused to back down.

“She came into our lives, God made her find her way to us. And we have cared and loved for her as if she was our own – she is our own, and I will not let some soldier waltz into town, charm her and then leave her heartbroken. I will not allow it.”

Kara reached out to grab Jeremiah’s free hand, and gave a reassuring squeeze. She loved the Danvers, and loved that they had adopted her and treated her like she was their own daughter. And despite how embarrassing this all was, she felt Jeremiah’s sentiments, and she wouldn’t demean his feelings, despite how misguided they were. She knew Mon-El would never do such a thing, but Jeremiah didn’t, and if he wanted reassurance, Mon-El was going to give to him. She kicked Mon-El leg under the table, signaling him to speak and reaffirm that he was here to steal their daughter’s virtue away.

“Mr. Danvers. I would never harm Kara. Not now or ever. I simply wish to spend time with her.”

Breakfast followed with an awkward silence, and forced light chatting. Kara just wanted to get out of there, and when Jeremiah finally dismissed them from the dining table, Kara and Mon-El leapt from the table and bolted to the door. But not before Mon-El politely thanked Eliza for being a great hostess, and Jeremiah for granting him permission.

They were strolling in the market on the cobblestone pathway, leisurely observing all the tiny shops and carts that were stationed along the street. Her hand was wrapped around his bicep, which made them look like a couple, but Kara didn’t care – if they were going to be in public like this they needed to act like a couple otherwise rumors would spread among the townsfolks, and that wouldn’t help Jeremiah and Eliza.

Mon-El took the reins this time. He talked about his life on Daxam, and it felt like the floodgates were opening for him because he was so chirper and excited about talking about his home world so freely. Daxam life was so different on Krypton. Krypton the children were born to a particular family with their DNA and their occupation pre-determined by the family, on Daxam certain children never got parents. The better the pre-determined occupation of the child, the higher the price was to adopt that child. And the un-adopted children were placed in in-house facility where they grew up without parents and left when they were able to find a job in their pre-determined occupational field. Mon-El was one of the children that was never adopted. He lived in in-house facility with several hundred children, and left on his sixteenth birthday when the Explorer’s Coalition of Daxam hired him as an intern.

His childhood wasn’t filled with as much adventures as hers, but he rejoiced in his memories, and that was all that mattered. He even told the tale of when him and group of boy’s at the in-house facility wandered in the Brym Forest on a dare and encountered a _Grata_ that Mon-El had dangerously got close, and angered when he tried to pick off a scale as a piece of souvenir. Kara was heaving in laughter as Mon-El recounted that tale, and how vividly he described the _Grata_ and how scared he was when the reptile woke up and screeched in pain. And how close he was to losing his legs, but managed to lose the _Grata_ by running around in the dense forest canopy.

The best story he told was when he and that same group of boy’s crashed the Royal Wedding of San Gand and Faora, and scarfed down food till they were blue in their face, and were chased away by the palace guards when they tried to smuggle food out of the wedding to give to the other in-house facility kids.

They chatted all day long, wandering from place to place. Sitting in the gazebo at the town square, sitting at in front of the Church. They were in their own little bubble, paying no attention to the outside world. And Kara refused to let their little bubble burst. The loneliness she felt for the last thirty years started to seep away, and she felt whole once again. She had found a companion in this strange world, and she would never let him go.

They settled by the lake, and sat on the empty dock as they talked into the night, till the moon was reflected onto the still, calm water of the lake. The clouds filled the night sky, and the stars twinkled and gleamed into the water, and the beautiful full moon lit up the darkness, and they briefly came out of their bubble to admire the moon, and the natural beauty of this planet before retreating back.

Like a gentlemen, Mon-El walked her back to her home and planted another kiss on her hand, and promised to back tomorrow at the crack of dawn.

Another day, another promise. And Kara knew that Mon-El was going to fulfill without an ounce of doubt in her mind.

**********

The next couple of days went by in a blur. They both fell into a routine. Mon-El would break fast at the Danvers in the morning, and him and Kara would walk around talking about anything and everything. About how they settled on Earth. What they most missed of their home world. They discussed where the hid their ships. Mon-El buried it, and checked on it every few years, and Kara had hidden hers in a deep cave that she knew no human could managed to scale.

Their routine also included Kara ignoring all the glares various girls in town would give her. They never paid any attention to her before, always choosing to ignore her and exclude her from their group. It was hard to pinpoint the exact reason they ignored her, but Kara was sure that it was because she was adopted, and wasn’t that well accustomed to the traditions of the town. Like when she had worn red to the harvest festival instead of the traditional gold. Jeremiah and Eliza were still having dresses made for her, and all she had was two dresses in her possession from the church she sought refuge from, and opted to where the red one, and the girls had shunned her for not maintaining tradition. And that was one of many occurrences where they deliberately ignored her.

Usually their looks would make her cower away, but now, she titled her head up, glared back, and pulled in Mon-El tighter to her and ignored the jealous glares she would receive. Mon-El never noticed, but Kara felt confident and smug in her new found power of making these petty girls feel envious of her after everything they had done to her.

**********

“Mon-El, I can’t!” Kara exclaimed, hoping her voice would reach Mon-El who was already down river.

Kara was standing near the edge of the dock, her dress hiked up as she contemplated jumping into the water and catching up to him. This was a new dress that the Danvers had gifted her a month ago, she didn’t want to soil it, but Mon-El was frustrating her to no end.

_Today they had decided to test out their abilities against each other. They ran the perimeter of the lake five times using their enhanced speed to see who could outrun who. It was a close call, but Mon-El had won by a silver, and he declared himself the fastest man alive. Next, they tested their enhanced strength. They both tempted to lift a 500 pound boulder, and Kara had managed to defeat him. She picked it up with relative ease, while Mon-El struggled just a little. Mon-El declared her the strongest woman alive. Their hearing was pretty even, and they had no way to actually determine their range. Kara thought that was the end of their ability testing, but then Mon-El came up with something else._

_“Let’s see how can hold their breath underwater the longest!”_

_“That’s ridiculous Mon-El. What does breath have to do with speed or strength—?”_

_“Kara trust me –.”_

_“This. Is. Ridiculous.”_

_“Come on Kara,” he dragged her towards the dock, and began taking off his boots, “I held my breath for five hours Kara. FIVE HOURS. If I can do it, there is no doubt you can as well. Let’s see who can the longest,” he winked._

_He continued to undress, while Kara remained idle on the dock, refusing to participate in the sheer ridiculous of this competition._

_“I am not going in the water with this dress on. And I am not waiting on this dock for five hours,” she huffed._

_“Are you admitting defeat?”_

_She scoffed, “NO!”_

_“That’s what it sounds like.”_

_“It sounds like you are whining, Mon-El.”_

_“No. No. No. It sounds like you are forfeiting.”_

_“I am not—,” Kara couldn’t finish her thought as he leapt from dock into the water and began swimming away._

_“DO NOT SWIM AWAY FROM ME. WE WERE TALKING!”_

_“NO. YOU WERE FORFEITING!”_

_“I WAS NOT!”_

_“PROVE IT!”_

“MON-EL, I CAN’T!”

All she heard was laughter, and that was the last straw. She wasn’t going to let him win this easily. If she was going to lose, she was going to give a good fight before she went down. No forfeiting, no giving up, no admitting defeat. She shed her dress, and jumped into the water in her petticoat and swam towards him.

“Look who decided to show up,” Mon-El grinned.

“Shut up Matthews, let’s start this competition,” she shoved him and he pretended to be in hurt.

“Ahhhh, the strongest woman alive just wounded me,” he bemoaned.

“Matthews…,” she warned.

“Danvers….,” he mimicked. 

“Since we are even, this will determine who is the best among us is,” Kara nodded her head in agreement, “On the count of three. One. Two. Three –.”

They both dove into the water and calmly drifted with the current as they floated around. Holding her breath was rather easy, she didn’t feel her lungs constrict, didn’t feel lightheaded, and she couldn’t hear her heart pounding in her ears. She felt serene as she watched the sun penetrate the water, as she watched the small fishes swim around her and Mon-El, and she felt one with the ebb and flow of the water. Mon-El beamed a smile at her as they continued to hold her breath as the hours slowly ticked by.

They swam around and explored the entire lake, the competition long forgotten, and fascination and amazement replacing their rivalry. A good portion of the time, Kara tried to chase after the little fishes. But the fishes constantly tried to avoid her touch. However, they flocked to Mon-El, and Kara mimicked his actions. She sat at the bottom of the lake and stilled her body completely, just as Mon-El did, and the fish finally swam willingly to her and Kara was bursting with giddiness as the red gold fish swam around her head. They lounged around in the lake, she raced Mon-El, swan along with the fishes, pretended to be sea creatures - the hours ticked by, and their wonderment never dwindled.

They both resurfaced at the same time, in fits of laughter. Kara swam closer to him and gripped his shoulders to stabilize herself. She was finally out of breath. She didn’t know how much time had passed, nor did she care. She was so glad that Mon-El had taunted her into coming into the water with him, this was a memory she was never going to forget.

**********

The next day the Danvers had invited Mon-El for dinner. Usually Mon-El would escort Kara to her door, and then have dinner with the Lane’s. Kara just hoped that there wouldn’t be a repeat incident of the breakfast. But her hope was definitely misplaced.

They were all sitting in the parlor room for tea time before dinner. It was an odd ritual that humans had adopted, tea before dinner was an odd mix, but Kara tried to not judge their Earth customs.

“So, the Reverend says the Church is available on Saturday, and Mrs. Sullivan has excess tulips available,” Eliza spoke like it was everyday conversation, but Kara and Mon-El choked on their tea.

“Flowers?” Kara hesitantly asked.

“For the aisle and the bouquets,” Eliza responded nonchalantly.

“Mr. Ross says the weather will be nice this weekend. And he is willing to sell his pig on a discounted price. I think it’s a splendid offer. What do you think?” Jeremiah added in.

Kara and Mon-El chugged down their respective cups of tea to avoid answering the question. As soon as the cup was done, Kara refilled hers and Mon-El followed suit. She took mini-sips of the tea to avoid talking. Rao, this was worse than breakfast.

“I think my old wedding gown will fit you Kara. Or we can get you a new one. Whatever you want dear.”

Another cup was chugged down.

“Michael, where are your parents?”

“They both passed away,” he meekly responded.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Eliza comforted him.

“Happened when I was little. I don’t remember much.”

“Do you need anyone’s permission Mon-El?” Jeremiah asked.

He shook his and downed another cup of tea.

“So son. What do you think?”

“Huh…”

“What do you think? Are you ready for this?”

“I don’t kno…I don’t think…,” Mon-El stumbled with his words while Kara downed another cup of tea so they would avoid talking to her.

“Oh Michael. You and Kara have been inseparable for the past six days. We noticed, the town noticed, and it is time to take the next step. No point in delaying such a beautiful union. Jeremiah and I agree, the sooner the better.”

Mon-El chugged another cup of tea, and sat up a little straighter and tried to ooze confidence, “I think we should wait. Till after the war. Till I return. So if anything happened…right…if anything happened to me I wouldn’t want Kara to be left alone. So later…afterwards. If that is okay with you, sir?”

“After the war?”

“Yes sir, after the war,” Mon-El hesitantly confirmed.

“That is a wise decision, son. There are other things I want to speak to you about Michael.”

“Kara, sweetie, help me in the kitchen?”

Kara glanced between Jeremiah and Mon-El, the tension in the room could cut a throat, and Kara was worried about Mon-El’s well-being if Jeremiah tried to intimidate Mon-El again. Last time left him pretty shocked and nervous, and if she wasn’t there Mon-El might even feel more uncomfortable.

“Eliza –,” she tried protest but Eliza cut her off, “Kitchen sweetie come on,” she stood up and beckoned her towards the kitchen.

Mon-El gave her a small reassuring nod, and Kara reluctantly went with Eliza, but not without mouthing ‘I’m sorry’ to Mon-El as she walked past him.

As soon as the kitchen door closed behind them Kara let her anger out, “Eliza, what was that outside? Marriage? Decorations? Flowers? This is all too early!”

“Oh sweetie, it isn’t early enough. When I met your father I just knew. One look, one conversation, and we were married in the next month.”

“We aren’t like you and Jeremiah. We are Michael and Kara, and we don’t feel the same way. You do know that he is lying about marrying me after the war. He said that to please Jeremiah. We are friends and nothing more. We just enjoy each other’s company, no need for love and feelings in all that,” Kara poured all her bottled emotions out. The teasing about the marriage was one thing, but they had almost planned the wedding out, and without her permission.

“Oh honey, I know true love –,” Kara scoffed, “Now don’t go making that face. I know true love because I have it in my life. And the way I see you two move, the way you two interact, I know its true love. Your face brightens up when you see every morning. You stand up straighter, your mouth is constantly twitching from that beaming smile that never seems falters. He moves, you accommodate to his needs. You move and he moves. It’s like watching a dance, and you both are the perfect partners. He stares at you when you talk, honey.”

Kara crinkled her brows. He stares when she talks?

“That’s normal,” Kara tried to rationalize, “to look at who is talking.”

“You are so blind Kara” Eliza cupped her cheeks “there is looking, and then there is the way Michael looks at you. Like you are his sun, and no matter what he will gravitate to you, he will always find you. It is quite endearing.”

“He does not…No…Why would he do that,” Kara stumbled.

“Why would he do that? That’s something you can only answer,” Eliza chuckled and took the pot roast towards the dining room and left Kara dumfounded.

 _Why would he do that?_ Friends did that, right? Friends did that, and he was being nothing more than a good friend. It wasn’t love. Jeremiah and Eliza were imaging things. Yes, they were the delusional ones. He was being friendly, not loving. Kara chuckled away Eliza’s insinuation and grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes and helped Eliza set up the dining table.

**********

Dinner was worse than she imagined. An eerie silence fell over them that evening. Eliza ignored Kara’s declaration that marriage was never going to happen, and continued to plan it, all to Jeremiah’s delight, and Mon-El just nodded his head vigorously at all the suggestions being thrown at him. It was supposed to be a nice family dinner between the four of them, where they learned more about each other, but Mon-El was too frightened to say a word, and Jeremiah just huffed in agreement to the endless details Eliza planned out. All she could do was pick at her pot roast and mutter constant apologizes under her breath so only Mon-El could hear them. Mon-El would give her a small smile every now and then to reassure her that it was okay, but that Kara didn’t believe it. Mon-El hardly touched the food on his plate, which was odd since he devoured his meal in under a minute if he wanted too, and he eyes would constantly scurry across the room to look at something else instead of Jeremiah, who sat directly across from him.

It wasn’t ‘okay’ at all, he was flustered and uncomfortable, and Kara could do nothing do absolve his discomfort. The evening ended and Mon-El left rather swiftly after helping clean the dining table, and hadn’t shown up this morning for breakfast, which through Kara into a frenzy. Had the Danvers finally managed to scare him off?

Which was why she was frantically walking around the town square trying to find him. The Lane’s said he left before the crack of dawn, but where could he have possibly gone? Did he run out of town? No. No. Kara tried to drown away those negative those. He was a man of the military, and he couldn’t just leave his station because of an awkward dinner.

Well, if he couldn’t leave, then he was actively avoiding her. That was the only possible alternative. No matter how hard she tried to stifle those thoughts, they wouldn’t go away. They gnawed at her in the back of her mind. She ruined this, whatever this was, she had ruined it. Tears pooled in her eyes as the intrusive thoughts refused to disappear, and fear filled every inch of her as she thought of never seeing him again. Why did she invite him for dinner? Why? All of this was her fault.

He had left, and she was in shambles.

She had to escape the crowd, it was slowly beginning to suffocate her, and the hot tears that trickled down her cheeks were blinding her. It was perfect storm, everything that could go wrong, was going wrong.

She fled to the only place she knew she could find solace to accept her new fate – loneliness.

Dangling her feet in the water, she tried to level her heart rate, and calm herself. But the tears continued to pour out, her body was quaking, and everything seemed bleak. Rao, she failed at being a good friend, and now she was failing herself.

“Kara! I was looking everywhere for you!” a voice bellowed behind her.

Her heart jolted, and a certain lightness coursed through her. Her eyes found him, standing at the end of the dock and all she wanted to do was touch him, hug him, and feel him.

With her speed her catapulted herself into a hug and smothered him with her strength.

Mon-El hesitantly wrapped Kara in his arms, “Kara, what happened?”

She just shook her hand in his embrace. If she talked right now, words would fail her and her voice would crack.

“Kara,” he spoke so gently, “What happened? Please tell me.”

“I thought you left,” her voice cracked as she expected, “I’m sorry about last night.”

“Kara,” he chuckled and pulled her out of the embrace and cupped her cheek so she would look at him in the eye, “I would never leave you. Especially over something as miniscule as a little awkward dinner—.”

“I didn’t see you this morning for breakfast, and then you weren’t in the town square. I just…I just thought the worst…”

“I had a meeting with my commanding officer. It was gruesome four hour meeting,” he wiped away a tear off her cheek, “That’s why couldn’t be there this morning. Otherwise, I swear on Rao himself, I would have been there.”

Kara chortled, “Rao would be ashamed you just swore on him.”

“He’ll get over it. And I highly doubt he heard me a million light years away.”

“Omnipresent Mon-El,” she playfully shoved him.

“Well, in that case. I’m so so sorry Great Rao of Krypton. I did not mean to swear on your holiness, and I was an ignorant fool and I am thankful to have the righteous and devote Kara Zor-El in my presence to guide me towards your great light!” Mon-El exclaimed towards the sky, which caused Kara cackle with laughter, and Mon-El joined in.

With each laugh she felt all the negative thoughts leave her and allowed herself to return to the cocoon of happiness and joy that Mon-El had enveloped her in for the past few days.

But she had apologize one more time, and Mon-El had to forgive. She needed this to feel fully secure.

“But seriously Mon-El, I am so sorry about last night. I never meant for that to happen. It was embarrassing and you felt uncomfortable and Eliza and Jeremiah wouldn’t stop –.”

“Kara, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“I do though.”

“Kara that was nothing compared to –”

“You didn’t even touch you food, couldn’t even look at me –”

“Kara stop –”

“I didn’t mean for it to be so awkward, and didn’t expect Jeremiah and Eliza to bring this up –”

“I’ve had worse experience.”

“Worse than something planning a marriage that you don’t want in front of your face. You don’t have to make me feel better.”

“I am not trying to make you feel better. It’s the truth.” 

“The truth,” Kara scoffed, “So tell me what could be more horrible than last night?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“Yes I do. It’s the only way I will stop apologizing.”

Mon-El groaned, and contemplated whether he should say the truth. After a minute of Kara staring him down, he finally relented, “Fine I’ll tell you. But not a word to anyone else.”

“Who am I going to tell?”

“Ugh. Fine. The most awkward experience was...was when I got married unknowingly…” Mon-El closed his eyes, afraid to see her expression.

“WHAT?! What does that even mean?” Oh, she was definitely intrigued by this.

“I was married, accidentally,” he clarified, “to the Princess of Nath in the Gallify Galaxy.”

“Mon-El that was not an explanation –”

“I’m getting there Kara! Remember, I am spilling this deep dark secret to make you feel better okay,” he took a deep breathe, “It was my second year at the Explorer’s Coalition of Daxam, and I only had been on a few mini-missions with more experienced Explorers. But then the Ambassadors of Daxam were going to Nath to treat with Nathani for a potential alliance. Nath was on a brink of a war with its neighboring planet, and we were going to offer men and ammunition if we had free access to their mines. I still don’t know what was in their mines to make Royal Family want to make an alliance with a planet two galaxies over, but they picked me to take on their mission. The only explorer on the entire mission. It was my job to document the caves and structures. I was so excited, my first real opportunity to shine. And while they were in negotiations with the Royal Family of Nath, they told me to keep company with the Princess. I guess because I had a pretty face, I really don’t know. But I thought I should help the negotiations. I tried to convince the Princess that this was good deal, so maybe she could influence her parents later. I mean that Nathani were really desperate but they were trying to act they weren’t. They didn’t have the numbers to win a war. And while I was talking to her I said, _Meni volrati ab lirgal seniime, gradi o ge valti…”_  

“We can save your planet, if you agree to this alliance,” Kara translated.

“Exactly! That’s what I thought I said. Little did I know that the meaning of _valti_ had changed over the years and no longer meant ‘alliance’ but ‘marriage’. The Daxam archives never knew of this change. And well, she assumed things, I assumed things, and before I knew it I was married.”

“How do you just get married like that?” Kara was having a hard time believing that 

“Marriages on Nath are simple. The bride presents a knife to the groom, and the marriage is considered sealed. That’s all it takes. And I took the knife assuming it was a gift or token. The Nathani agreed to the alliance between Daxam and Nath after the Princess told them about our marriage…” Kara tried to stifle her laughter, “We were both so young, we both wanted to help and ended up messing things up…It’s not funny Kara!”

“I’m sorry. I just…I can’t believe that happened. Honestly, I just can’t believe,” she choked out between fits of laughter, “Wait. Wait. Wait. Are you still married? Are you trying to marry me while already being a married man,” she joked.

“No! Rao no! The marriage was annulled, and it was really easy to annul since it hadn’t been consummated, but it was just so awkward explaining it my superiors, and facing her family after the annulment. The worst three weeks of my life! So dinner last night pales in comparison to those three weeks.”

“Well that was an interesting tale –”

“Interesting!? Don’t you mean horrifying?!”

“Sure…sure.”

“Kara,” he grumbled, “At least your aren’t upset anymore. But now you are just making fun of me.”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Kara tried not to smile or laugh, “How about we go back to the square and forget all of this ever happened.”

“I would really like that.”

**********

The next day Kara didn’t see Mon-El all day. And not because he was avoiding her, or that he ran away, but because he was stuck in some training class, or meeting, or something with the rest of the military buddies. All day she was alone. At breakfast, at the dock, and the town square. Kara acted like it was a trial run to when Mon-El would officially leave her in five days, and it was sheer torture imagining that. She didn’t know she would be able to survive – all alone – again.

But, him leaving was set in stone, so she had to learn how to cope. _She had to._

**********

Next morning, Mon-El was at her doorstep bright and early, but this time Kara was going to have to cancel plans with him.

“Michael, I am so sorry I will not be able to keep your company today. Jeremiah has fallen ill, and I need to deliver this week’s supply of cabbages to the next town over. It will take all day to make this journey to and back,” Kara explained, trying to be as formal as possible with Eliza hovering around in the parlor.

Jeremiah had fallen ill last night and was going to miss this week’s shipment of cabbages, but Kara would not allow it. She could navigate to the next town over, she had made that trip with Jeremiah countless times before.

“Oh okay,” Mon-El was dejected, “Safe travels Kara.”

“Michael!” Eliza greeted from behind Kara, “Come inside, come inside,” she beckoned him in.

Mon-El slid past Kara and warmly greeted Eliza, “Kara just informed me that she will be traveling to deliver some cabbages. I just wanted to wish a safe journey.”

“Ahh. Yes. Jeremiah had the shivers last night, and this morning couldn’t even get out the bed. Kara graciously offered to deliver the shipment of cabbages. She truly is a Godsend,” Eliza cooed. And then Kara saw something flicker in her eyes. They sparked up, and she was grinning like the most marvelous thought popped up in her head, “Michael, it would help put my worries, and Jeremiah’s worries at ease if you accompanied her in her travels?”

Eliza’s smile could light up the entire house. She probably thought she was being cunning trying to force these two closer together, but Kara was just thankful for her suggestions. More time with Mon-El is all she wanted, and Eliza quite literally granted her that.

“I don’t—,” Mon-El began before Kara interjected, “I would feel safer on the road if I had your company Captain.”

Kara gave him a pointed look, to make him understand why he should say yes.

More time.

“Yes…Yes. Yes,” Mon-El catching up to what Kara was thinking, “I would love to join you Kara.”

“Lovely!” Eliza exclaimed, “Let me pack a lunch for two.”

Mon-El and Kara snickered, Eliza had no idea what she had done. She thought she was forcing them into a trap that Mon-El and Kara were all too willing to fall in.

The carriage was already in front of the house by the time Mon-El and Kara were ready to leave. Two white horses saddled up and reigned in, and the back filled with, well, cabbages. They bid their adieu to Eliza, and were off on their long journey.

They arrived in the town a little past noon, they would have arrived earlier if they hadn’t stopped to have a little picnic to eat their lunch, but it was hard to resist setting up shop in the small open prairie they passed on their way here. Mon-El even scoured the entire pasture while Kara fed the horses, and returned with something behind his hand and a devilish smirk. The way his head was cocked to side, and his intense stare fluttered her stomach. He had made her a flower crown twined with colorful carnations. They were radiant and smelled euphoric. _For a Princess_ , Mon-El whispered as he placed the crown on her head. She shooed the feelings away, not wanting to dwell on them. _Live in moment, Kara,_ she repeated to herself. _Live in the moment._ Thinking would cloud the moment, and taint the memory. _Live in the moment, Kara._

They went from shop to shop selling their cabbages in bulk – bartering, bargaining, and negotiating. When she had went with Jeremiah, the bargaining fights sometimes got ugly, but having Mon-El, a man in uniform – Continental army uniform – somehow frightened the buyers from trying to hassle or swindle her.

Now they were halfway back on the journey home, and the sky was filling up with dark gray, hazy clouds that looked like one large monstrosity looming over the sky daunting all persons into fear, and Kara and Mon-El were no exception. Sure, they could withstand it, stand under the eye of the storm and probably come out unscathed, but they were still scared. Scared for their horses who would be frightened by the lightning and rambunctious thunder.  It didn’t take long for the rain to start pouring down upon them, impairing their visibility. They were forced to stop, but the only problem was that they had nowhere they could seek shelter.

“I’ll go run around this area to see if there are some barns or houses we can walk to and seek refuge, and you stay here Kara,” Mon-El screamed over the raging storm.

Kara nodded, “Okay,” she yelled.

Mon-El was gone is a flash, like the lightning that was dancing across in the sky. He was gone for a minute, or two before he returned, elated.

“I found a small cottage, the lights are on so maybe there is someone there. It’s not too far, I think the horses will make it if we guide them.”

They walked in front of the horses, each holding onto one rein of each respective horse as they navigated through the forest. Kara’s heart stopped when Mon-El slid his hand into hers. Her face snapped to his, a bewildered look glazed across her face.

“So we don’t lose each other,” he stated simply.

It made no sense. How could they lose each other, but Kara didn’t argue. His hand grounded her, provided her with comfort in this treacherous storm.

The cottage was small, one story, and hidden behind some dense shrubby. There was a light that can be seen through the window. Mon-El knocked on the door, and hoped that someone would answer the door. The longer it took, the more disheartened they got.

The door finally creaked out open and an elderly man glowered at them, “What?”

“Hi,” Mon-El spoke, “We are traveling to Philadelphia, but with this storm, we don’t think it is safe to continue down the road, especially with the horses who are already frightened by the thunder,” and on cue, the boisterous crackling filled the sky, and the horses neighed in response.

Another voice spoke out behind the old man, “Charles why are you making that couple stand out in the rain like that. Invite them in!” an elderly lady came into view, “Come inside my dears, Charles step aside.”

“Thank you Mrs…”

“Winston.”

“Thank you Mrs. Winston,” Kara took the shawl that she offered and tried to dry some of the droplets off her skin.

“Let me show your horses to the barn,” Charles grumbled.

“Thank you Mr. Winston,” Mon-El and Charles left and Mrs. Winston settled Kara in with tons of pillows and blankets to chase away the cold that she assumed Kara felt.  

“The storm is getting harsher out there,” Mrs. Winston tried to make small talk.

“Yes, we thought we could make it home in time, but the storm caught up with us. And the horses were getting rattled and we are so lucky that we found your cottage.”

Mon-El and Charles burst into the room and a gust of wind followed them slamming the door against the wall.

“So ground rules,” Charles huffed, “No touching things, and no dilly-dallying. I don’t care if you are married. Not in my house.”

“We aren’t –”

“We understand Mr. Winston. We just need a place to rest for night. We will be on our way as soon as the storm clears up,” Mon-El glared at Kara.

“Right. Right. We understand Mr. Winston.”

“Well, let me show you to your room,” Mrs. Winston’s sweet voice cut through the icy silence. She led them down the hall, “I never caught your names dear.”

“Captain Michael Matthews.”

“Kara Da…Matthews.”

“Such a lovely couple.”

The room was really small with a generous size bed, but otherwise devoid of anything else.

“Here you go my dears. And Captain Michael, thank you for your service.”

“Oh, it is my honor Mrs. Winston. And please, call me Michael.”

Mrs. Winston giggled, “Such a lovely couple. Let me get you too some spare clothes.”

She shut the door behind her and Kara could hear her giggles down the hall.

“Kara Matthews?” Kara crossed her arms, and glared at him, “Really?”

“Did you see the old man Kara? So scary. Imagine if we said we weren’t married, he might have kicked us both out. Stickler for rules, that one.”

“Sure…”

“Come on Kara, we should really get some rest.”

“On the one bed?”

“Oh…well. I am not sleeping on the floor.”

“Neither am I. I swear you planned this.”

“Yes, Kara. I planned a storm so we would be forced to seek shelter in a small cottage, where we would meet a grumpy old man who seems like death incarnate, just so I can share abed with you.”

Kara huffed, “Fine. But I sleep on the right side.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Mrs. Winston brought them both spare clothes and Kara was relieved to get out of her wet, sticky garments. They changed in silence, facing away from each other and settled on the bed.

They went into the night on opposite sides of the bed, but when they woke up, Kara was wrapped in a warm cocoon and felt so tranquil. Kara finally mustered some strength to snuggle out of the warm embrace, and finally take in her surroundings. Mon-El’s hand was thrown across her waist, and her back was flush against his front. Kara was tucked in right under his head, and the position should have felt weird, but it felt prefect. Like two puzzle pieces fitting together flawlessly. She sighed and snuggled into his embrace.

She was snuggling against Mon-El.

She was snuggling against Mon-El.

_She was snuggling against Mon-El._

She jolted out of the bed, which caused Mon-El rustle on the bed. His shaggy, disheveled hair, his small pout was endearing. _No, Kara. No._

She shook those thoughts away and swiftly changed out of her clothes and left the room to let Mon-El awake to a cold, empty bed.

The journey home was real quiet. Kara was quiet because she didn’t know how to react to what had occurred this morning. But she didn’t know why Mon-El was so quiet. Did he know? But how could he? He was fast asleep when she woke. Whatever had caused this air of uneasiness she hoped they could resolve by tomorrow.

Eliza crushed Kara into a hug when she saw her. She fretted over her, checking if she was hurt anywhere or not. Eliza profusely thanked Mon-El for taking of Kara, and was relieved that she had asked him to accompany Kara, otherwise she didn’t know how Kara would have managed to come home in the storm.

After thanking Mon-El, Eliza practically dragged Kara into the house and locked her in room telling Kara that she needed to rest for the remainder of the day. Eliza said something that she didn’t want Kara to get sick after staying out in the rain, and that Jeremiah was already sick, so Kara was more likely to get sick as well. Eliza was going a mile a minute, and Kara only picked up bits and pieces of what Eliza was muttering in her frenzy.

Kara thought that Eliza was being paranoid, but she ended up sleeping all day long, despite wanting that warmth again, she was just so fatigued from her emotions, and journey that she fell into a dreamless sleep.

She was rustled awake, and through the dim lit she saw a silhouette sitting on her bed.

“Hey Kara,” his voice was quiet. His tone soft and deliberate, like he was trying to reassure her.

“Mon-El…What are you doing here?” she sat up on her bed.

“I’m leaving.”

“What?”

She was still chasing her sleep away to be able to process what he was saying? Leaving? Leaving where?

He tucked some stray strands behind her ear, “I’m leaving Philadelphia.”

That she understood. That she processed.

He was leaving her, and her entire body went into overdrive, “What? No. no no… You still have three days! I still have three days!”

“Kara,” he said sympathetically, “You slept all day today. Only two days left.”

All day…She slept all day. But ignoring that, they still had two days, “Fine. Not three days. But two days left!”

“I know…but I have orders.”

“You promised me a fortnight. Why do you have to leave early?” she played with the buttons on his coat, trying to hide her tears.

“We are all leaving, not just me.”

“But why? Every solider I talked to said a fortnight. So why two days early? That does make any sense.”

“Yes. Everyone single soldier said a fortnight very loudly and very often,” Mon-El smirked.

“I’m not following…”

“Any loyalist spies in Philadelphia will think we are leaving in fortnight. If we leave two days early, any plans they had will be ruined.”

“Is that why you are leaving in the dead of night?”

“Kara…I’m gonna miss you. So much. These past days have been the best days of my life. Nothing that has happened in the last thirty years could compare to these twelve days,” his voice was cracking, but he was trying to hold it together.

“Mon-El,” she whined, “Don’t go. Please.”

“I have to. Come on Kara. I’ll come back. I have a wedding to attend. I can’t miss it, since I am the groom and all,” he chuckled, and a smile tugged on Kara’s lips.

“Ya, I don’t want to be left at the altar, otherwise I am going to hunt you down make you rue the day you decided to cross me.”

“Oh ya?”

“Ya.”

Their laughter didn’t fool anyone. Sadness ebbed in the room, and neither one acknowledged the pain.

“I’ll see you Kara. If Rao wants it.”

“If Rao wants…,” she repeated, while silently sending a prayer to Rao.

The bed creaked as he got off it, and made his way to window, which Kara assumed he climbed through. He stood before it, his hands resting against the window pane, contemplating…something. Kara couldn’t even begin to fathom what was going on in his head, she could barely even think about what was going on in hers.

Mon-El turned around, and cupped her cheek and titled her head upwards and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, and he lingered for one second too long, and he was gone. Vanished into the night, and Kara was once again alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!! 
> 
> This was written in like a week, so if it isn't up to par, im sorry. as always, i am so nervous when posting stories, and i am really nervous about this one. 
> 
> As always, please ignore mistakes and errors, and an edited one will be posted soon :)) (this one might have a lot of errors)
> 
> Kudos/Comments appreciated!


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